Agricultural officials here are bracing themselves as they face the possibility of the invasion of another deadly disease which affects bananas and plantains.
The monster, Fusarium Wilt, is even worse than the much talked about and dreaded Black Sigatoka disease, which is presently causing havoc in Dominica.
The disease is caused by a fungus which enters the plant through the roots and colonizes the xylem vessels thereby blocking the flow of water and nutrients and in essence choking the plant and eventually killing it.
Head of Plant Quarantine in Dominica, Ryan Anselm, stated that the disease, which recently spread from Asia to Africa and the Middle East, has the potential to affect countries in the region.
A variant of the disease called TR4, also known as Panama Disease, is posing a serious threat to production and export of bananas, with serious repercussions for those who depend on its production for a livelihood.
“We have to be concerned because in the recent past one would hear about the impact of Black Sigatoka, which is a fungus disease affecting banana and plantain. Now with this new disease, which is the Fusium Wilt Panama Disease Race 4, …this is a more potent and more dangerous disease,” Anselm stated.
The disease is a fungal soil-borne disease which can stay in the soil for decades.
According to Anslem, nothing much can be done since at present no chemical can manage or destroy it.
“It is classified as a quarantine pest and it has serious economic implications for not only Dominica, but the entire growing countries of banana and plantain,” he said. “So we are concerned … the Central America and the Caribbean is still free of the disease but there’s the potential for the disease to introduce and spread in the Caribbean and Central America.”
Local agricultural authorities are also expected to meet with their regional counterparts to develop a plan to deal with the potential problem.
“What we have to do right now is to develop an emergency action plan, together with the Caribbean and CARICOM,” Anselm said. “So the first strategy is to prevent the entry of the disease…. that would be the first measures that we have to take.”
He said the plan will include a step by step scientific technical document that will guide how the diseased is managed and how to prevent it from entering the region.
A Banana task force is scheduled to meet at an emergency meeting and a course of action is expected to be ready in a month’s time. A Border Control Management Committee is being set up, although presently it is in draft form, according to Anselm.
He said the disease can enter the island through infested materials, man and water and will also affect Cocoye and wild Helliconia plants.
Banana is the eighth most important food crop in the world and the fourth most important food crop among the world’s least-developed countries, according to FAOSTAT, the UN agency’s data-gathering and analysis service.
a properly planned and executive strategy is what we need, too many times we let things enter our ports any way. if wwe export a box of dasheen with one spec of dirt it is rejected entry at another port, yet we accept things covered in dirt, vehicles especially.
It is sad, but so true that, what ever is happening to the plants in Dominica is happening to us human beings. We are tangled to nature. We eat the food, drink the water and breathe the air. Mark my words there is going to be more diseases in Dominica, and diseases we never use to see in our children and young people, we will be facing in sooner or later.
hold ur blight………………….
Why did they wait so long to solve this problem? Over 26 years ago I have been hearing about this disease in bananas, then once it was grapefruit. I believe there is more than they are telling us. We hope the government is getting specialists in the field of soil testing to see what is in the soil.
We also use too much chemicals to kill the weed in our fields, and we do not know the backlash in our food, water and air. Whatever we Do to mother nature that is bad it is going to bite and hunt us for the rest of our lives. We need to go back the God, change our wicked and selfish ways and we and our country will be blessed. Blessed is the Nation whose God is our Lord.
We are just running for the mighty dollar no matter what, and not giving thanks to the giver of all good things. We are too ungrateful, who do we think we are? We are going to leave all these thing behind and we have to face the creator.
We have to work hard and aim high, but we also have to remember we did not create ourselves or anything. We need to face reality serve God and love one another. I have land in Dominica which I have earned, but it is profiting me nothing if I don’t give it away or let someone else have it. I am getting older and going to die soon. I have to leave it behind. I came with nothing and I have to leave the earth with nothing. I want to love people more. Thank and praise God.
I SUSPECT THIS DISEASE IS AFFECTING COCONUTS ALSO.
There are tv programmes about countries like UK and Australian airports and the drugs, food stuff and other disgusting items people try to bring in illegally into these countries is frightening. The people try all ways to hide the items and when the custom people open them up sometimes they are full of beetles, maggots and worms! America don’t need to set up laboratories to make up deseases for the Caribbean when there are enough stupid selfish people out there who play with other peoples lives and think they can do what they want. What about the things customs dont find and are out there – all those insects and bugs where they not suppose to be, doing what they not suppose to be doing.
That is what happens when greed and love of money take over our lives. I wonder why all these diseases always originate in Asia and Africa. I smell a lie. This looks like big country wants to own and control the rest of the world for their own sinful pleasure. God does not lie; the end is near and they will pay.
People are blaming others for diseases and disasters which befall the earth, their country, except themselves. Do you not think that we are all guilty of this, one way or the other?
Here is what Our Lord Jesus Christ said to three women in the ancient days who were prayerfully wishing to know something of the Passion of Jesus Christ. They are now saints since they served Our Lord well in their lifetime. He said to them:
“I descended from Heaven to the Earth in order to convert you.
In olden times people were religious and their harvests were abundant; at present, on the contrary, they are scanty.
If you want to reap an abundant harvest you must not work on Sunday, for on Sunday you must go to Church and pray to God to forgive your sins. He gave you six days in which to work and one for rest and devotion and to tender your help to the poor and assist the Church.
Those people who brawl against my religion, and caste slurs on this Sacred Letter, shall be forsaken by me. . .”
There is more in this article. Make no mistake. Our Lord is true to his words and promise. Therefore, know why all the diseases which destroy crops and kill people sooner than they should die. It is worst today than in previous years and increasingly so.
I also consider that people must be caring and loving towards others. This is to be kind in words and deeds. When they are not, they place a curse on themselves and their undertakings including their household. They also deny themselves God’s blessing and graces.
If Christians do not know that and the reasons, they need to be re-catechized and evangelized including being godly enlightened.
As for me, I do not doubt nor deny it and ask why. I know why these things happen. The situation is too visible. The saying, “The way we make our beds it is the same way we will lie in it.” Let everyone comprehend this.
Well it looks like only GANJAH can help us now ,so while the debate is on Mr. Priminister better take in front else thing getting worst
Just asking…..will the Border Control Management Committee put measures in place to examine and sterilize the soil encrusted hiking boots of the hundreds of international hikers who will be criss-crossing the island on the Waitukubuli National Trail?
stop blaming America for our incompetence.
Doyle & Chiqutia the 2 largest banana company is going to kill banana everywhere then feed you their chemical and modified laden stuff.i never see a banana growing in merrymacka but they own the largest banana plantations.
the Big nations are using biological warfare on us.
The US using it on the rest of us. I agree with you.
On the other hand, this is not new. I have seen this before and that’s a while now since I was in banana production
I am most impressed by the proactive approach embraced by the agricultural officials most notably my good comrade Mr. Anselm. There seems, contingent on the information provided in this article, to be a need to deal with this matter frontally and pray that it does not materialize itself on our shores.
Mr Anselm also had a very good emergency action plan for the management of the black sigatoka, but the financial resources required to execute the management plan was never made available, thus the plan was never executed and the widespread of the disease all over the island
How “good” is a plan if it is too ambitious for the resource capacity of the implementers? That plan was not so good, after all.
A plan in talk is proven good in action. The management and fight against these diseases is fought more in words than in action. Ask the farmers on the ground especially in the south and they will tell you how their fields are not sprayed as regularly as they should despite the fact that the government has ordered the chemicals in abundance. Yet, on the north and west cost, management of the same is much more effective and regular.
Eugenia Charles warned a long time ago for farmers to diversify and get away from banana production or at least try to other crops because of the fragility of the banana.
But people made politics out of that
No. Eugenia’s advice had little to do with the perceived fragility of the banana tree than it had to do with global politics and internatonal trade. She knew that Europe was struggling in its fight against the WTO to shield preferential treatment for our bananas on the European continent. She also seemed to have foreseen that we would have eventually lost the protection of our European allies. Hence, she pushed for an expanded Agricultural sector at home.
These Americans sit in labs and create all sorts of diseases to control the world. Those banana diseases are no exception. They are trying to destroy the economies of those developing countries that depend on bananas for survival. Those who do not want to accept the reality that America is that much involved in world destruction will dislike my comment, those that would run to America with the drop pf a ball, those who have taken economic refuge in America will disagree. But we know all the diseases that afflict the the world today, especially those that are destroying the third world were made in american labs. That is the reality!!
@But wait, I disagree with you. I live in America and my banana plants are dying too. The banana itself, not just the plant, is dying before it reach maturity.
I agree. America is responsible for most of the new and unknown diseases and we are the lab rats. FAO seeks to control global food supplies. when we hungry with no food, they have the power…..Food power
Way papa!
If this ever hits the Caribbean it’s the end of a livelihood and the end of an industry. But i wonder…. Where are all these new diseases popping up from? just a couple of years ago they did not exist and for some reason they are out like wild fire. I believe they are man made diseases and are aimed to destroy the economy of third world and small countries who depend on our Banana for survival.
I pray that it never reaches our shores.
@ Concerned people tend to quote the Bible for their own gain but if u know the book and believe there’s a God then you would know all of this will come to pass because we have to hungry with the abundance of food but it wont be good for eating, So I lay blame no where I just try to live life rite and to the fullest till that day comes look at all the earth movements around the world AKA earthquake I know some people just waiting for that to happen in DA for them to start blaming the geothermal but if we look around 8 year olds are having kids we are already in the times so what ever has to be will be, but the truth is I think is the PM that created that new fungus LOL.
“Where are all these new diseases popping up from?”
Well, just like cancer and any other diseases in humans, they have been always in existence; some of us take better care of ourselves than others causing those diseases to pop up unexpectedly in those that do not take care themselves, just like the plants. Prevention is better than cure. We were born with every disease. WE must take precautions within ourselves, and our soil to protect our plants.
I do not think that any DISEASE is a “man made disease”. I do not think “man made or otherwise”, “are aimed to destroy the economy of third world and small countries”. When God created the World every disease was created at that same time.
“I pray that it never reaches our shores.”
Now that is being ignorant…….
“We were born with every disease.”
Ummm…..Nahhhhhh, i’ll pass!
I dont really agree with you because when you have products coming into the island without proper checking any thing will pass thru we need as a poeple to take these diseases seriously we must demand more screening of products from other countries and island before we let them in all port of entry must pull up their sock and get down to business. The Govt is not serious and because of that black sigatoka manifested it self and today farmers are crying, and if Mr. Anselm had a plan to help stamp out that disease why did the Govt refuse to give the funds to implement the plan and these are some of the things people must talk about we can do better than we are doing now.
” you must speak”
You are right.All these disease cells are in our bodies. The things we do or the food we eat causes them to multiply and affect us.For example, if you have diabeties and you are heavy, the first thing the doctor will tell you is lose some of that weight.
One has to take care of oneself just like one has to take care of what ever one has.
You have insinuated that God created the disease. This is blasphemy. You must confess this grievous/mortal sin, blaming God for creating diseases.
It was not so from the beginning of time. Adam and Eve (not Adam and Steve) lived healthily in the Garden of Eden until they allowed the devil to tempt them, commencing with Eve.
As humanity became more sinful, so did the spread of disease and all other sorts of ailments which shortened their lifespan.
People in the ancient days lived to be hundreds of years. Today, if people live to be a hundred years they are indeed fortunate. Something is radically wrong in these centuries past and present.